


A Drop or Two of Wine

by telemain



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-27
Updated: 2017-07-27
Packaged: 2018-12-07 15:15:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11626248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/telemain/pseuds/telemain
Summary: Just a few small scenes, in the months and years post-Blood and Wine. Lines in bold taken directly from Blood and Wine.





	A Drop or Two of Wine

* * *

Barnabas-Basil cleared his throat as he approached. “Sir Geralt. You asked me to find you and let you know when the lady Yennefer’s belongings had been moved into the house?” 

“Yes?” 

“The move is now complete. I have a lad still waiting in case the lady wishes to rearrange some of the heavier items. Do you know where she has gone?” 

“She rode into town...” Geralt put on a loose imitation of his major-domo’s accent. “... to purchase clothing more appropriate for the climate.” 

“Ah. There is one item she brought that we were completely unsure where to place…” 

Geralt sank his forehead into his hand. “Put the unicorn in the downstairs bedroom.”

* * *

Her Grace had “just been riding by” and decided to “drop in” to have a look at Corvo Bianco. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Geralt, no; she was simply curious to see what he had made of it. 

The first thing she saw inside was an armor stand, holding the suit of armor that he had worn in the tourney, six months previous. The second… 

“Sir Geralt! What is this?!”

“Oh.” The ‘this’ she was indicating was the painting that Dandelion had brought. “I see Your Grace recognizes the subject.”

“I do indeed.” Her voice should have frozen the wine in the bottle sitting on the table, should have brought snow to the vineyard. “The Viscount Julian.” 

“He - “ Geralt stopped himself from saying ‘brought it’ “ - sent it here as soon as he heard that I had taken possession.” 

The Duchess’ eyes blazed. “That shameless cad, that scoundrel, that… that rakehell! He is banned from this duchy on pain of death -- and so are _portraits of him_!”

Geralt nodded, biting his lip to keep from smiling. “I know that, Your Grace; hence I did my duty as a knight and carried out appropriate justice in Your name.” She stared. 

He could not have stopped himself at swordpoint. “The moment the portrait arrived… I ordered it to be hanged!” 

There was a long, long, moment. “Sir Geralt. I remember that I owe you great debts. However, should you ever, ever again utter a pun that vile in my presence, I shall quickly develop amnesia. Do you understand?”

* * *

Early in the afternoon, Geralt and Yen - having finally gotten up and breakfasted - were outside enjoying the day. Yen - in much lighter clothing than she had worn when she arrived - was reclining on her usual seat, reading a book, while Geralt - foregoing armor for a pair of loose trousers - worked through some solo sword practice. Only a few slices and spins later, Barnabas-Basil appeared from somewhere or another and coughed. “There is a … young lady… at the gates asking after you.” 

Geralt let out a small sigh. “Another contract? I wish that Count Crespi were still alive so I could feed him his own archespores. They seem to have infested half the duchy.”

Yen, not looking up from her book, let out an annoyed sound as Geralt left. 

Five minutes later, she forgot all about the book - or any archespores - as 

“Oof- what- Ciri!”

Ciri landed practically on top of her. 

“B.B. may have failed to mention that the ‘young lady’ in question was wearing a gold diadem, paired swords, and a Witcher medallion.” Geralt was standing near the foot of the seat, holding Ciri’s swords, looking as if he had also recently been quite enthusiastically hugged. “Or that she was escorted by a cadre of Nilfgaardian nobles and soldiers.” 

“Dear me.” Yen managed to say, as Ciri let go and perched herself on the edge of the seat. “Could it be Barnabas is developing a sense of humour?” 

Geralt shook his head. “Apparently Cirilla - ” Ciri stuck out her tongue “- put him up to it. I got my revenge though. I introduced her to him as ( _ahem_ ) Her Imperial and Royal Highness Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, High-Imperatress-to-be of Nilfgaard, Queen of Cintra, Protector of Temeria, Princess of Brugge, and Duchess of Sodden. Heiress to Inis Ard Skellig and Inis An Skellig, - ” 

“- And suzerain of Attre and Abb Yarra.” Ciri chorused along with him. “I can’t believe you have all that memorized.”

“It’s on a little brass plaque on the upstairs bedroom door.” Geralt told her, straight-faced. 

“It isn’t!”

“Yes, he’s lying,” contributed Yen, with a similarly straight face. “It’s actually on a _quite large_ brass plaque.” Ciri groaned. “And it’s inside the room. Too big to fit on a door, even if the room had one. ” 

“It could _be_ the door.” Geralt offered. 

Ciri buried her face in her hands, laughing. “Oh, I’ve missed you both. I should have come earlier.”

Yen smiled, “Yes, you should have. Is this a vacation?” 

“No, **Emhyr concluded I must get to know what I’ll rule once I officially take the throne. So I’m on a tour of the provinces with a small swarm of advisors.** I’m to visit the Duchess this evening.” Ciri cast her gaze across the vineyard, and then the escort waiting for her on the road. “It’s so beautiful here. I wish I could just stay.” 

Geralt sat next to Ciri and bumped her shoulder with his. “Come any time you want. Stay as long as you like. The upstairs bedroom _is_ yours.” 

Ciri leaned on Geralt and took a long deep breath. “I will. As often as I can. For now - ” A wicked grin appeared. “ **I convinced my advisors we’d be unwise to depart before I tasted each of this year’s wines. My knowledge would be incomplete, you see.** ”

Barnabas spoke up, then, from behind them. “I regret then that there has been no wine produced here in quite some time. Although we hope to produce next year; perhaps we will be welcoming Your Highness back at that time?” 

“I’ll be back long before that. I’m sure the Duchess has space for myself and all of my … escort … in the castle, but I’ll sneak back here tonight.” She looked at Geralt, and then over her shoulder at Yen. “If… if tonight’s okay.” Suddenly she looked quite young and uncertain. 

“Of course it’s okay.” Yen said, sitting up and putting her chin on Ciri’s other shoulder. “This is your home as much as it’s ours… welcome home, daughter.” 

There were no more words for a few minutes, until Ciri stood, hugged them both again, and strode back down to the road, escorted by Barnabas. 

Yen gazed after her. “I would love to see the look on her face when she sees that painting of her you put up there. Probably the exact same one that she has in the painting. Whatever possessed you to buy it?” 

Geralt half-shrugged. “Impulse. One of the art galleries in town had it for sale.” He stood up. 

“Where are you going? Ah yes, certain activities we were planning for tonight that we should probably take care of earlier?” 

“No, well, I mean yes, yes of course,” he added hurriedly, as she glared at him, “but first I have to find B.B.” 

“Whatever for?” 

“We need to have that brass plaque made.”

* * *

Geralt walked slowly through Kaer Morhen’s courtyard. The castle held many memories for him, good and bad, and he always felt ambivalent about returning. Autumn had come and gone, winter had come and gone, and spring had come and gone, and now it was the beginning of summer, and Yen had wanted to visit Ban Ard to do some research, and he had traveled to Kaedwen with her, and then he had ridden north, just to check on the place, he told himself. Vesemir would have wanted someone to. 

“Who’s there?”

His head snapped up. He knew the voice. “Eskel? It’s me, it’s Geralt.” Sure enough, his old friend was there, looking at him from the higher level near the entrance to the keep. “I didn’t know you were here.” 

“You’re lucky I am here. Usually I’m out walking the Path around Kaedwen.” 

“I thought you were leaving. Said you couldn’t imagine the place without Vesemir… ?”

“Yeah. I also couldn’t imagine the place with no one here. Come in, we’ll catch up.” 

Geralt left a few hours later knowing Kaer Morhen was in good hands, having extracted a promise from Eskel to visit someday, maybe to winter at Corvo Bianco one year.

* * *

Yen sipped again from the glass in her hand and looked around at the men standing in the cellar with her. “Hm. I taste… cherry, dark chocolate, vanilla, oak…” She frowned. “And something else which I cannot place?” 

Corvo Bianco’s vintner smiled. “Oh, bitter orange, my lady.” 

“Hm, yes, of course.” She swirled her glass, then sipped again. “It may be my uneducated palate, but I rather like it.” 

“Oh, yes, it is quite good wine. Quite, oh, quite good. It should make for, oh, a very good product, once it has aged for, oh, six months at least.” 

Geralt looked at his vintner, over his own glass of wine. “For a man who has just pronounced this year’s wine ‘very good’, you look disappointed.” 

“Oh, Sir Geralt, it’s just that, oh we will do better next year, we must, oh, it is essential!” 

Barnabas-Basil nodded. “Yes, certainly, we cannot sell this to the public.” 

Geralt frowned, “Why not?” 

“Oh, it is simply that this would be the first wine Corvo Bianco has released in years, oh, the first new Sepremento pressing. It cannot merely be very good, oh, or else they will forever think of Sepremento as only a very good wine. Oh, the first vintage we sell under your management, oh, it must be excellent! That will be what they remember, oh, that will be what sets the reputation!” 

“Hm, I will trust your judgment in this.” Geralt looked up and around at the barrels stacked around him. “But what am I to do with a cellarful of ‘very good’ wine that we don’t dare sell?” He paused, perhaps sensing the looks that were being exchanged behind him. “I just asked a really stupid question, didn’t I?”

* * *

Dear Dandelion,

Her Grace the Duchess has agreed to allow you into the duchy for three days only - to arrive the day before the ceremony and depart the day after - and under the strict condition that you sing no songs about her, as well as songs which mention her, songs that hint at her, songs which imply her involvement, and in fact your song topics should be restricted to historical subjects, ballads authored by others, and “famous local witchers and sorceresses”. Personally, I would appreciate if you omitted any songs about witchers, especially concerning me, especially concerning my previous romantic dalliances, _especially_ those romantic dalliances also involving _other wedding guests_ , from your repertoire. 

Priscilla is, of course, invited with you …

* * *

… do bequeath my entire collection of Vedyminaica, including but not limited to artifacts, weapons, armor, and written materials, to SIR GERALT OF RIVIA, that these memories not be lost to history…

* * *

From “Wineries of Toussaint”, 1283 edition. 

“Corvo Bianco is now owned and managed by the famous Witcher Sir Geralt of Rivia, the bridge his crest, and his wife the sorceress Lady Yennefer of Yengerberg. Under their management, the winery has nearly tripled in area. As well as having restarted production of the famous Sepremento red wine nearly ten years ago, considered by many experts to be of higher quality than ever, they also produce a white wine known as the Wolf (not to be confused with the White Wolf wine produced at Belgaard) but wine is merely one of the products that now flow in abundance from Corvo Bianco. 

A number of alchemical herbs were planted almost as soon as Sir Geralt took possession, and their cultivation continues, with several formerly rare varieties now easily available to local herbalists. The olive trees first planted by Master Bolius yield a great deal of olive oil, which is now pressed and sold. Much of the fertile ground acquired in the first expansion is given over to fruit trees and a large apiary, from which are gleaned fresh fruit, preserves, liqueurs, and a variety of honeys. 

A small field of grain was first planted two years ago, supplying a bakery and a brewery. Corvo Bianco bread, ale, and stout are quickly becoming quite popular. Cheesemaking has also begun this year, with a dozen cows taking up residence in a barn built as part of the newest expansion of the grounds, with an adjoining dairy.

A new manor house, visible for quite some distance around, was raised five years ago, and is rumoured to secretly have reinforced walls and hidden escape routes. There are now a total of three walls around the property, as each new expansion was enclosed anew. Much of this security may be due to the fact that Cirilla, Empress of Nilfgaard, who considers Sir Geralt and Lady Yennefer family, is often a guest-in-residence.”

* * *


End file.
